FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 1st, 2022

TORONTO BLUE JAYS VISIT PITTSBURGH PIRATES IN FINAL MLB SUNDAY LEADOFF GAME OF THE SEASON THIS SUNDAY, SEPT. 4 LIVE AT NOON ET ON PEACOCK; PREGAME BEGINS AT 11:30 A.M. ET ON PEACOCK

Bob Walk (Pirates Analyst) and Kevin Barker (Blue Jays Analyst) Join Jason Benetti (Play-by-Play) in MLB Sunday Leadoff Booth

NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed Hosts Pregame Coverage on Peacock at 11:30 a.m. ET, Alongside Former MLB All-Star Sean Casey

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick Narrates Video on the Pirates’ AAA Affiliate in Indianapolis Storied History & the Organization’s Promising Prospect Pool

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 1, 2022 – All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays visit breakout rookie shortstop Oneil Cruz and the Pittsburgh Pirates from PNC Park on MLB Sunday Leadoff live this Sunday, Sept. 4 at Noon ET on Peacock.

Sunday’s matchup marks the final game in the inaugural 18-game MLB Sunday Leadoff package on Peacock, which debuted May 8 at Fenway Park when the Red Sox hosted the White Sox.

Play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti will be joined in this week’s MLB Sunday Leadoff booth by analysts Bob Walk (Pirates analyst) and Kevin Barker (Blue Jays analyst). Throughout the season, Benetti has been joined in the MLB Sunday Leadoff booth each week by local analysts from the participating teams.

Walk spent 14 years as an MLB pitcher from 1980-1993, including 10 years with the Pirates. He won a World Series as a rookie with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980 and was named an All-Star with the Pirates in 1988. Currently, Walk serves as commentator on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh’s Pirates coverage and is in his 29th year as a member of the Pirates’ broadcast crew. Walk returns to MLB Sunday Leadoff for the second time this season after serving as an analyst for the Cardinals-Pirates game on May 22.

Barker spent parts of five seasons in the Major Leagues (1999-2000, 2002, 2006 and 2009) as a first baseman, including the 2006 season with the Blue Jays. He is currently the co-host of Baseball Central on Sportsnet 590 in Toronto.

This week’s MLB Sunday Leadoff coverage begins with the pregame show at 11:30 a.m. ET on Peacock. NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed is the pre- and postgame host of MLB Sunday Leadoff and also serves as the in-game reporter.

Three-time MLB All-Star Sean Casey, who had a 12-year MLB career from 1997-2008, will serve as this week’s pre- and postgame analyst alongside Fareed. Casey spent part of the 2006 season with Pittsburgh, batting .296 over 59 games with the Pirates. Rob Friedman, aka PitchingNinja, will also join the pregame show to provide pitching breakdowns.

Doc Emrick Narrates Essay on Pittsburgh’s AAA Affiliate in Indianapolis

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, one of the most acclaimed sportscasters of all time and an avid Pittsburgh Pirates fan, narrates an essay on Pittsburgh’s AAA affiliate in Indianapolis, showcasing the team’s storied 120-year history and how it now serves as the pipeline to resurrect the Pirates. Click here to watch.

How to Watch

Date Show Time (ET) Platform
Sun., Sept. 4 MLB Sunday Leadoff Pregame 11:30 a.m. Peacock
Sun., Sept. 4 Blue Jays vs. Pirates Noon Peacock

Commentators:

    • Play by Play: Jason Benetti
    • Analysts: Kevin Barker and Bob Walk
    • Pre- and Postgame Host/In-game Reporter: Ahmed Fareed
    • Pre- and Postgame Analyst: Sean Casey

 

Beginning Sunday, May 8 with the debut game of MLB Sunday Leadoff and concluding this Sunday in Pittsburgh, Peacock live streamed an NBC Sports-produced baseball game for 18 consecutive weeks, with start times for the first six Sunday games at 11:30 a.m. ET and the following 12 Sunday games beginning at Noon ET. Each game featured NBC Sports-produced pregame and post-game shows on Peacock.

On each of the 18 Sundays that Peacock presents a game, it has been scheduled as the exclusive home of live MLB action until 1:30 p.m. ET that day, when the remainder of the day’s schedule will begin. Peacock was also the exclusive home of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game – featuring top minor league prospects – which was played during All-Star Week in July at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

For steps on how to watch MLB Sunday Leadoff on Peacock, click here.

Peacock’s expansive programming features live sports coverage including Premier League, Sunday Night Football, Olympic sports, Notre Dame Football, horse racing, golf, INDYCAR, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel which streams Peacock Original Brother from Another and staples like The Dan Patrick Show and Pro Football Talk Live.

2022 MLB Sunday Leadoff on Peacock Game Schedule

Date Time Matchup
September 4 Noon ET Toronto Blue Jays at Pittsburgh Pirates

 

— NBC SPORTS —